Fierce clashes between Syrian government forces and Kurdish fighters in Aleppo continued for a third day on Thursday despite US efforts to secure a truce. The Syrian government has urged civilians to evacuate the three contested neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh and Bani Zeid by early afternoon, saying it would start military operations against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) by 1:30 p.m. local time. The fighting has left at least seven civilians dead and displaced 140,000 more, according to Syrian authorities. 

Syrian officials quoted by Reuters said that negotiations were underway for the withdrawal of Kurdish forces from the city. 

The SDF denied reports that Kurdish forces had requested safe passage out of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh. It said in a statement late Thursday that its forces continued to resist "against the assault launched by Damascus government-affiliated factions...despite brutal and intensive shelling with tanks and artillery targeting civilian residential areas."

US officials have been brokering talks since January for the withdrawal of Kurdish fighters affiliated with the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which forms the backbone of the US-backed SDF. On April 1, a deal was signed for their withdrawal; however, Damascus accuses the SDF of failing to evacuate the bulk of those fighters.